Although there are many specialist bits of kit available forpanoramic photography, you don't necessarily need any of them - it just depends on the type of panos you shoot.
Camera: Any DSLR can be used for panoramic photography and even if it's a relatively old model with modest megapixels, by the time you've stitched half a dozen or more images together, the file size will be BIG! Digital compacts can also be used, and even the camera in a mobile phone - there are now apps available for iPhones and other smartphones that will take a series of frames and stitch them for you in-phone!
Lenses: Technically, any lens or focal length can be used to shoot the images for a stitched panorama. That said, you need to take care when using wide-angle lenses because the monstrous field-of-view they offer, coupled with the distortion inherent in wide lenses, can result in a rather bulbous stitch that requires serious cropping to get the top and bottom edges level. Parallax error is also more of an issue with wide-angle lenses as you're likely to have features in the composition that are close to the camera (see panel on parallax error, above). A zoom with a focal lens range equivalent to 24-70mm is ideal for stitched panos. The wider end is ideal for urban/architectural panoramas while the rest of the range is well suited to landscapes. You can use longer focal lengths quite happily, but distortion can be an issue if you go wider than 24mm, plus the exaggerated perspective will make everything in the scene appear miles away.
Tilt & shift lenses: If you're serious about panoramic photography, especially of urban views - it might be worth investing in a tilt & shift (TS) lens. The main use of these specialist lenses is to allow you to keep the camera perfectly level and square then raise the front section of the lens to get the tops of the buildings in the shot.
Not only will this prevent converging verticals, but also g ive you a much neater stitch as there won't be any distortion in the sequence of images you shoot. Another way to use a TS lens for panoramic photography is to set up the camera, 'shift' the lens as far to the left as it will go, take a shot, shift it as far to the right as it will go, take a second shot, then stitch the two together. Tilt & shift lenses aren't cheap - the Canon TS-E 24mm f/3.5 LII costs £1,700, the TS-E 45mm and 90mm f/2.8 lenses are £1,120 each, and the TS-E 17mm f/4 is almost £2,000.
Tripod & levelling base: Any solid, sturdy tripod will do the trick, but a handy accessory worth considering is a levelling base. Gitzo, Manfrotto, Acratech and other manufacturers make them - the £125 Acratech model (www.bobrigby.com) is ideal. Basically, the base fits between your tripod head and tripod and allows you to get the tripod head perfectly level, even if the tripod itself isn't, using a 'half cup and bowl' design and a bullseye bubble on the base. Once the tripod head is levelled in this way, it will remain so as you rotate it to shoot images for stitching.
Spirit level: As well as a levelling base, a hotshoe-mounted spirit level is also essential as it allows you to level the camera on the tripod head. If you don't have a levelling base, you can also use the hotshoe spirit level to check that it's still level as you rotate the camera between shots.
Nodal rail: If you mainly shoot panoramic sequences in urban locations or inside buildings, then parallax error is going to be an issue that needs addressing. The easiest way to do that is by investing in a nodal slide/rail such as the £175 Acratech model (www.bobrigby.com) so you can adjust the position of the camera in relation to the tripod head, and rotate it about the entrance pupil. You don't need a nodal slide for landscapes as parallax error isn't usually a problem.
Parallax error
The main technical issue you have to face when shooting panoramas is parallax error. This is caused when you rotate the camera between frames and the alignment of elements in the scene changes slightly so the frames don't line up perfectly in stitching. The wider the lens focal length is, the more obvious parallax error is. Today's stitching software can usually correct parallax error, and it's only really an issue if elements in the scene are close to the camera; often the case when shooting wide-angle urban views, such as market squares or building interiors. For landscapes, it's rarely a problem.
If you do need to correct/avoid parallax error, set up the camera so that it rotates around its optical centre (often incorrectly referred to as the 'nodal point'; its proper term is the 'entrance pupil'). The easiest way to do this is with a flat adjustable bracket - a 'nodal slide' - allowing you to adjust the position of the camera in relation to the tripod head so that instead of rotating the camera from its baseplate, you can rotate it around the entrance pupil.
To find the entrance pupil, place two poles in the ground lm apart, then set up your camera on a nodal slide and tripod in front of them so the front pole hides the rear one. Make sure the camera is level, then take three shots: one with the poles in the centre of the frame, one with them to the right of the frame and one with them to the left of the frame. If the rear pole can be seen to the left of the front one on shot two and to the right of the front one in shot three, the camera is too far back on the nodal slide. If the rear pole appears to the right of the front one in shot two and to the left of it in shot three, the camera is too far forward on the nodal slide. Either way, adjust the position of the camera on the nodal slide and take the shots again. When the two poles remain in line, you've found the entrance pupil of that lens or focal length setting, and you should reference it on the slide. Do the same with all your lenses.
******Usman ahmed owner of this blog created this post with his knowledge.All content provided on this blog is not copied from any other blog and site and is for informational purposes only and The owner of this blog makes no representations as to the accuracy or completeness of any information on this site or found by following any link on this site.The owner will not be liable for any errors or omissions in this information nor for the availability of this information. The owner will not be liable for any losses, injuries, or damages from the display or use of this information.
Camera: Any DSLR can be used for panoramic photography and even if it's a relatively old model with modest megapixels, by the time you've stitched half a dozen or more images together, the file size will be BIG! Digital compacts can also be used, and even the camera in a mobile phone - there are now apps available for iPhones and other smartphones that will take a series of frames and stitch them for you in-phone!
Lenses: Technically, any lens or focal length can be used to shoot the images for a stitched panorama. That said, you need to take care when using wide-angle lenses because the monstrous field-of-view they offer, coupled with the distortion inherent in wide lenses, can result in a rather bulbous stitch that requires serious cropping to get the top and bottom edges level. Parallax error is also more of an issue with wide-angle lenses as you're likely to have features in the composition that are close to the camera (see panel on parallax error, above). A zoom with a focal lens range equivalent to 24-70mm is ideal for stitched panos. The wider end is ideal for urban/architectural panoramas while the rest of the range is well suited to landscapes. You can use longer focal lengths quite happily, but distortion can be an issue if you go wider than 24mm, plus the exaggerated perspective will make everything in the scene appear miles away.
Tilt & shift lenses: If you're serious about panoramic photography, especially of urban views - it might be worth investing in a tilt & shift (TS) lens. The main use of these specialist lenses is to allow you to keep the camera perfectly level and square then raise the front section of the lens to get the tops of the buildings in the shot.
Not only will this prevent converging verticals, but also g ive you a much neater stitch as there won't be any distortion in the sequence of images you shoot. Another way to use a TS lens for panoramic photography is to set up the camera, 'shift' the lens as far to the left as it will go, take a shot, shift it as far to the right as it will go, take a second shot, then stitch the two together. Tilt & shift lenses aren't cheap - the Canon TS-E 24mm f/3.5 LII costs £1,700, the TS-E 45mm and 90mm f/2.8 lenses are £1,120 each, and the TS-E 17mm f/4 is almost £2,000.Tripod & levelling base: Any solid, sturdy tripod will do the trick, but a handy accessory worth considering is a levelling base. Gitzo, Manfrotto, Acratech and other manufacturers make them - the £125 Acratech model (www.bobrigby.com) is ideal. Basically, the base fits between your tripod head and tripod and allows you to get the tripod head perfectly level, even if the tripod itself isn't, using a 'half cup and bowl' design and a bullseye bubble on the base. Once the tripod head is levelled in this way, it will remain so as you rotate it to shoot images for stitching.
Spirit level: As well as a levelling base, a hotshoe-mounted spirit level is also essential as it allows you to level the camera on the tripod head. If you don't have a levelling base, you can also use the hotshoe spirit level to check that it's still level as you rotate the camera between shots.
Nodal rail: If you mainly shoot panoramic sequences in urban locations or inside buildings, then parallax error is going to be an issue that needs addressing. The easiest way to do that is by investing in a nodal slide/rail such as the £175 Acratech model (www.bobrigby.com) so you can adjust the position of the camera in relation to the tripod head, and rotate it about the entrance pupil. You don't need a nodal slide for landscapes as parallax error isn't usually a problem.
Parallax error
The main technical issue you have to face when shooting panoramas is parallax error. This is caused when you rotate the camera between frames and the alignment of elements in the scene changes slightly so the frames don't line up perfectly in stitching. The wider the lens focal length is, the more obvious parallax error is. Today's stitching software can usually correct parallax error, and it's only really an issue if elements in the scene are close to the camera; often the case when shooting wide-angle urban views, such as market squares or building interiors. For landscapes, it's rarely a problem.
If you do need to correct/avoid parallax error, set up the camera so that it rotates around its optical centre (often incorrectly referred to as the 'nodal point'; its proper term is the 'entrance pupil'). The easiest way to do this is with a flat adjustable bracket - a 'nodal slide' - allowing you to adjust the position of the camera in relation to the tripod head so that instead of rotating the camera from its baseplate, you can rotate it around the entrance pupil.
To find the entrance pupil, place two poles in the ground lm apart, then set up your camera on a nodal slide and tripod in front of them so the front pole hides the rear one. Make sure the camera is level, then take three shots: one with the poles in the centre of the frame, one with them to the right of the frame and one with them to the left of the frame. If the rear pole can be seen to the left of the front one on shot two and to the right of the front one in shot three, the camera is too far back on the nodal slide. If the rear pole appears to the right of the front one in shot two and to the left of it in shot three, the camera is too far forward on the nodal slide. Either way, adjust the position of the camera on the nodal slide and take the shots again. When the two poles remain in line, you've found the entrance pupil of that lens or focal length setting, and you should reference it on the slide. Do the same with all your lenses.
For The User
******Usman ahmed owner of this blog created this post with his knowledge.All content provided on this blog is not copied from any other blog and site and is for informational purposes only and The owner of this blog makes no representations as to the accuracy or completeness of any information on this site or found by following any link on this site.The owner will not be liable for any errors or omissions in this information nor for the availability of this information. The owner will not be liable for any losses, injuries, or damages from the display or use of this information.
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